1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tool accessories and more particularly to a drop-prevention apparatus for hand-held power tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lanyards, tethers, hooks, and similar restraints are used to prevent accidental dropping of tools. These restraints are particularly useful in environments where a tool drop can cause substantial damage or harm to plant equipment, workers, or objects below a worker who accidentally drops a tool.
One method of restraining tools is to clip one end of a tether to an opening in the handle of a tool (e.g., an adjustable wrench) and to clip the other end of the tether to the worker's belt or to a nearby structure. When workers properly tether a tool in this way, accidental drops can be eliminated or greatly reduced. However, due to safety concerns and to practical design limitations, hand-held power tools are generally not specifically designed to be tethered. For example, the moving parts on rotary saws and drills potentially could get tangled with the tether, causing injury to a worker or severing the tether when the tool is dropped. Also, when compared to hand-held tools, the larger size of battery-powered power tools provides options for tethering that are not available with hand-held tools. For example, to tether a power tool, the user may tether the battery-powered power tool, such as by attaching a tether to an opening in the tool's frame, wrapping the tether around a handle, or other improvised approach. Cordless drills are an example of one power tool that lacks an opening to which a tether could be attached.
In one approach to the problem of tethering a cordless drill, a cord loops around the handle of the drill in a slip-knot fashion or the like. After looping around the handle, the cord is attached to a tether that in turn is attached to the user's wrist or to another object. To prevent the cord from slipping off of the end of the drill's handle, this approach relies on the difference in size between the main part of the handle and the battery pack or butt of the handle, which is generally larger in size than the main part of the handle.
Another approach to the problem of tethering a cordless drill is a tool wrap that has a cover formed with large straps and a connector ring. The cover is shaped to loosely slip over the block-shaped battery pack and then is secured to the battery pack by tightening the straps around the battery pack. A first strap connected at one end to the cover extends over the top of the battery pack in front of the handle and attaches to itself or to the cover using hook-and-loop fasteners. A second strap connects at one end to the front end or “toe” of the cover and wraps horizontally along the side of the battery pack, around the “heel” of the battery pack, and along the opposite side of the battery pack where it connects with hook-and-loop fasteners to itself or to the cover. The second strap passes through and retains a connector ring near the “heel” of the battery pack. A tether may be connected to the connector ring.